Phase One has already started and planning is maturing rapidly for the development of a terrestrial prototype of a lunar research park, established in Hawaii through the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) at the University of Hawaii in Hilo.

The location is one of the world's premier lunar analogs. Its soil resembles lunar regolith and the terrain has features over a large area that are similar to those found on the Moon.

The PISCES site is intended to test and evaluate innovative robotics and IT solutions, energy management, construction strategies, resource utilization and other technologies required to establish and sustain long-term settlements on the Moon and other worlds. Its crossroads location enables a unique international center for space research and education to inspire and train the next generation of scientists, engineers, inventors, and entrepreneurs that will develop the space frontier. Read more

Phase 2: Lunar Robotic Village

Phase Two of the International Lunar Research Park requires the expertise of the invitees to this meeting.

The plan is to leverage existing launch vehicles, spacecraft technologies, and IT technologies to develop a robotic village on the lunar surface within the next decade.

The strategy is to build on unmanned missions planned by NASA and other space agencies and to leverage the commercial efforts championed by Google Lunar X-Prize contestants, emerging commercial space capabilities, and other non-traditional entrepreneurial ventures.

Robots in the village could be teleoperated from various locations on Earth, connecting the two worlds. This would provide a unique capability for scientists and a uniquely engaging venue for educators, students, and private citizens to explore the lunar surface and conduct groundbreaking experiments. The Lunar Robotic Village would also be the largest collaborative IT and robotic driven international construction project in history. The robotic technologies would evolve over time - less than a decade - to enable the construction of the first sustained human settlement on another world.

Phase Three would include the full build-out of sustainable robotic and human modules on the lunar surface that would serve many interests and purposes. These would include atmosphere-free observatories to explore the universe as well as unique whole Earth viewing platforms that support analyses important for understanding and managing global climate change.

Other modules would facilitate mining of lunar regolith to spur space commerce, an outpost for media to enhance public awareness of the opportunities of space exploration, and a destination for space tourism. Concepts include a virtual, then staffed, Lunar University, the first university whose campus is on another world.

At the least, the International Lunar Research Park could provide a staging ground and technology testbed for both robotic and human missions to asteroids, to the moons of Mars, and to the Martian surface. With the right infrastructure emplaced early enough, the ILRP might actually accelerate the schedule for human missions beyond the Moon.Read more

Benefits

Public benefits will accrue from the initial activities on the ground and throughout all phases of development.

This will be the largest collaborative multinational robotic project ever undertaken, and the advances expected in IT and robotics alone will serve the participating countries well.

When students are used for design, development, and testing, it will provide a uniquely inspiring and demanding training ground that will develop important skill sets for 21st century jobs. Read more

The image above is how the Earth/Moon system looks from Mars. The image above of Earth and the moon was acquired on October 3, 2007, by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

PISA

To facilitate the design, development, and implementation of the ILRP, as well as help formulate other highly promising multinational space initiatives, JUSTSAP will be expanded over the next year into a Pacific International Space Alliance (“PISA”).

The ILRP will be a focus of the Pacific International Space Allicance conference which will be held November 13-17, 2011 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii. Building upon the strong bilateral relationship between Japan and the United States established through JUSTSAP, PISA will provide a unique forum through which government, industry and university representatives from space-faring nations worldwide can explore options and build strategic partnerships toward sustainable space missions. Read more